Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1887-01-21

talent Tor finding work took her part
OF the family mending, tossed up dainty
little desserts. helped Joe with his ac-
counts. When Joe had gone to his Of
tice she took tremendous walks, advised
Mother Demming about her fancy work,
or copied the squire's papers for him.
What a clerky hand you write" said
Grace one day" I often wish mine
were not so delicate when father wor-
RES over those papers. But as for
mothers embroidery, women of her age
ought to give up that useless work when
their eyes are falling"
ut does not seem useless to me-" said
Polly, gently. she thinks you all
"Where can Mary go on those inter-
mlnable walks?" said Isabella one
morning to her father. "You should
warn her about Black Lane. She might
wander into it, and bring home typhoid
fever"
"You ought to report that lane as a
nuisance, father said his wife. ut is
perpetual sink of filth and vice."
1T is disgrace to Balls Ferry that
such wretches can find harbor in It'll"
added Isabella. They ought to be driv-
en- beyond the borough limits!"
Well, we'll, my dear! 1t doesn't do
to be too energetic said the squire.
'They never had a chance"
He was reused, however, to mention
Black Lane at a meeting of the town
burgesses that day.
"Something ought to be done, or we
will have typhus among us" he said.
Something has been DONE" said
Judge Paule. II came through the
lane this morning, and hardly knew it.
There has been general draining and
cleaning, the dung hills are gone, the
cabins are wEtewashed, the women
some..of then-had actually washed thei1
faces"
"What has happened?" asked the
squire.
II heard the sonnd Of children's
voices singing in one of the cabins, and
the men told me it was Miss Mary's
class Some good woman has been at
work, I suspect"
Miss Mary ?"--the squire's face
grew red, his eyes flashed, but he said
nothing more.
Going home he met Polly coming to
meet him. He looked at her with the
eye Of a Judge. Are you the good
Samaritan? Have you been in Black
Lane, my dear?"
She blushed, laughed, and stammered
ooh, that was the most natural thing
in the world, father. You know + was
brought up among colored people !
know how to manage them. It was
only ditch dug here and there, q few
panes of glass and bushels of lime.
They are good, affectionate creatures,
and so anxious to learn"
The matter was driven out of the
squire's mind before he reached the
house, for he saw Tom skulking round
the stable door. He had returned that
day, and dull weight of misery fell at
the sight on his fathers heart. Tom
did not enter the house until late in the
evening, when the family were gathered
about the lawn. He came into the
room with swagger, unshaven, his
boots reeking of the stable. :'On pur-
pose to mortify us, thought Grace, bit
terlv.
II came in to see Joe's fine lady
wife, he said, in loud voice. ''Unless
he's ashamed to introduce his scape-
grace brother.
MARY is not here said Mother Dem
| ming. :fWhere is she Grace?"
':In Uncle Ben's room. She reads
the New York papers to him every day
now. They play backgammon togeth-
er, and they have one of those silly
books of Artemus Wards. I heard
him laughing and swearing harder than
ever, so he must be pleased. wonder
| she can stand it,"
1T is hard to understand her." said
Isabella dryly. MARY is not as care
full of her associations as she should be. :"
Tom had been listening eagerly.
Enough said," he broke out, with a
thump of his fist on the table. eff Joe's
wife can take thought of that lonely old
man up there, there's better stuff in her
than / expected, I'll go up and make
her acquaintance.
For several days afterwards Toms
voice was heard joining in the jokes and
laughter that came out of Uncle Ben's
room.
MARY seems to have enchanted them
BOTH" said Grace. "Tom is clean and
shaver to-day, and looks like human
being"
"Perhaps she treats him like human
| being" said Joe.
But even he was startled when Mary
came down that evening dressed for a
walk, and. nodding brightly to Tom,
asked him to go with her. Finish
your book. Joe. Brother Tom will be
my escort"
Tom followed her slouching to the
gate. He stopped there, Shame, de-
tiance, misery looked out of his eyes,
"See here, Mrs. Demming! T reckon
you wouldn't have asked me- to go with
you"
Polly's tender, steady eyes met his.
eyes, know"
Dye know I'm thief? was in jail
ut Pittsburg for year"
Polly drew her breath hard. A
prayer to God for help, went up from
her heart in that second of time. She
held out both her hands.
Yes, Joe told me. But this is all
over now.-all, all over. You have be-
gun new again Brother Tom, comet"
She put her hand in his arm as they
| walked down the street. He did not
speak to her until they came back.
Then he stopped her again at the gate.
MY sisters never have been seen with
me- IN pubic since came back. Ill
| never forget this of you, Mary, never!"
A month later the squire said to his
| wife. 'Did you know Mary was going
over his mathematics with Tom Regu-
larly coaching him. This little girl has
the dearest head for figuring I ever
knew. But what can be her object ?"
Mrs. Demming cleared her voice be-
fora she cnn1d sneak EsM2ho hoe on,